


RvB Notfic collection

by DoomNightAt12



Category: Red vs. Blue
Genre: Anxiety Attacks, Blood and Injury, Caboose finds a friend, Chp1:, Chp2:, Chp4:, Chp5:, Chp6:, Church being a dick, Ficlet Collection, Gen, I make Wash suffer for the hundredth time, Major character death - Freeform, Mer!Caboose, Mer!Washington, Multi, Notfic, Sad Church, Season 12 prisoner theory based, Texas as team Mum, The Meta and Epsilon!Wash hunt the fragments together, Theif Tucker is chill, Wanted man Wasington is confused, Washington's head is a bad place, chp3:
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-04
Updated: 2020-07-18
Packaged: 2021-03-05 00:07:07
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 5,069
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25065139
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DoomNightAt12/pseuds/DoomNightAt12
Summary: A collection of unfinished ficlets, plots, ideas etc based on Red Vs Blue.Themes, ratings, characters and plot vary wildly, so please check the start of the fic for its relevant warnings.
Kudos: 8





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> If you dislike me for any abrupt endings, just know, I dislike me too.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> CONTAINS:  
> Descriptions of injury/death, blood and anxiety attacks.   
> Church being a dick.
> 
> When Church is feeling a bit more vindictive than usual, he decides to pay Wash a visit and have a little ‘Epsilon home coming’. Except he discovers that the freelancer is still not over their first encounter.

Having jumped into the Freelancers implants, Church wasn't exactly sure what he was expecting to see. It certainly hadn't been a while plane with a Blue soldier standing stock still.

“Caboose? Oh wait, is this that ‘metal image of someone’ thing? Those can get weird.”

He approached the uncharacteristically quite soldier, and then quickly recoiled at the sight of his slit throat.

“Geesus fuck, what the hell?!

He turned away, only to spy a second mental image.

“Tucker?”

His helmet was caved in, pieces of visor were blended with skull and flesh.

“Well this is, completely grusom. Like Christ almighty man, what the fuck.”

Finally, the mindscapes owner appeared, staring blankly at the corpses.

“Care to explain what the fuck this is, Wash?”

“It’s my fault, I killed them.”

“Well, I mean yeah, you kinda did since this is your head. You could Un-kill them too probably.”

“I wasn’t good enough, and I let them die. I let them… And they’re dead, oh God they’re dead.”

“Geesus, get over it, this is depressing. Why are you so choked up? Were at war, statistically, the odds of team killing vs the Reds killing everyone are pretty even but leaning to the former.”

“The Reds?”

More bodies came into sight, as equally gruesome and dead as the two Blues. Church had to watch his footing as not to slip on the blood that was rapidly pooling.

“Okay Wash, time to get a grip, this is getting stupid.”

“I can’t- I didn’t mean- please-”

“Wash-”

“Help. Please help me! Carolina?”

The aqua armor appeared, but her limbs were nowhere to be seen.

“York?”

He was twisted like a Pretzel.

“North?”

His torso lay separate to his legs-

“South?”

She was also in two, down the middle-

“Maine?”

Blood, there was so much blood…

“Wyoming?”

It was hard to tell his armour was ever white.

“Texas?”

Texas… Tex wasn’t there. Church finally let go of his non-existent breath. The bodies of the freelancers continued to spawn further and further out.

“Alright. Alright! I’ve had enough of the gore show!”

He started to move away from the growing plies, however new voices called out.

“Yo Wash, what’s wrong?”

Booming out from the sky, they came from our side the mental plane. Projecting himself out, he found Tucker kneeling next to the collapsed Washington.

“Church? What- where have you been?”

“Oh well you know I uh-”

“EPSILON.”

Carolina had arrived, marching up with furry in her step. She settled her likely glare on the AI.

“What. The hell. Is going on?”

“Oh nothing much, we were just messing around-“

“ _Messing around?_ ”

There was a steady muttering coming from Washington, which Tucker leaned in to try make sense of. It was mostly comprised of ‘ _please’_ and _‘help’_ and _‘l’m sorry’._

“Okay look, I’m still pissed at the armor theft-“

“You decided to mentally damage the only other trained solider here, over some stolen equipment?!”

“Well the identity theft too- wait are you calling me petty?”

“Yes. JESUS CHRIST don’t you realise the situation we’re in?”

“Of course I do! It doesn’t mean I don’t get angry!”

“Guys! A little help with him please? Because shouting sure ain’t doing it.”

Washington had curled in on himself further. Carolina flicked her attention between the Blues.

“This talk isn’t over Epsilon.”

Carolina moved away from the hologram, kneeling with the others. Washington’s murmuring had gotten more frantic.

“Hey, it’s okay Wash, everything’s okay.”

* * *

“Have you seen Caboose? He hasn’t been around all morning, and the chores I don’t want to do are piling up.”

Carolina sighed, eyeing Tucker. Ever since Epsilon’s vindictive incident, there’d been a change in Washington’s behaviour, one that made it pretty easy to keep track of the Blues. She found him practically glued to Cabooses side, probably not listening to the rambling but certainly on alert.

“Wash, can we talk?”

His head only moved slightly to show he’d heard her.

“Caboose, I think Tucker was looking for you.”

“Psh, stupid Tucker.”

Despite his tone, he still stood and left the room with a small wave. Wash’s hand reached out after him, and his whole body tensed as he tried not to follow.

“If you’re worried about their well being, how about coming out on patrol? Fresh air might do you some good.”

His head dropped further, and Wash was extremely glad his helmet hid how his face distorted in pain. His gut was twisting from the sudden onslaught of terrifying thoughts, of all the ways the Blues and Reds _and all the people who depend on him could die._ The thoughts spin around and around like a tornado of horror and its hard not to just scream at them to stop.

So he doesn’t. Instead, he sucks in one long breath and looks up at Carolina.

“Sure.”

* * *

They followed the usual circle around the bases, up and around hills sides and down past deep ditches. Epsilon kept to himself, which Carolina was thankful for. Her lectured had been long, and despite his protests, it seemed to get through to the AI that his actions had been beyond selfish.

“It looks like the weather might crack up later-“

She turned to where Washington had been in step behind her, but found no one.

“Wash?”

“He stopped a little bit back. Maybe he needed a break?” Epsilon shrugged.

Meanwhile, Washington found himself on his hands and knees, ripping off his helmet. His rapid breathing hitched as bile rose in his throat, before he threw up. Panic and anxiety held him in place, draining him of any of the reasonable thoughts left in his head.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> CONTAINS: Mentions of injury. Tex being team Mum.
> 
> AU where Agent Texas pulled the Reds and Blues from Blood Gulch to save them from being canon fodder. However Caboose finds a new friend on the beach, and it becomes clear they haven't escaped Project Freelancer yet.

“My name is Church. And I am the unfortunate member of the blue arm-“

“CHURCH!”

“-an, unfortunate member of-“

“CHURCH! HEY CHURCH!”

“-A _very_ unfortunate-“

“CHURCH, HEY! CHECK THIS OUT!”

“God DAMNIT CABOOSE. Can’t you see I’m trying to monologue up here?!”

Church stared down from upon the Blue base, eyeing the loud rookie who was dragging a large, black shape. Caboose rapidly switched between waving and pointing into the base, obviously wanting to show his find. With a sigh he left his post, knowing he’d have to humour Caboose just a little to have him off his back.

Inside, the black shape was now on a bunk. Church’s bunk. And the figure was now clearly clad in black and yellow armour.

“Look what I found at the beach!”

“I thought you were fishing.”

“I found a lovely fish!”

“Caboose, that’s a man.”

“And he’s breathing! He’s gonna be my new friend.”

Squinting, Church felt _nearly_ should be added to that description of breathing, spotting bullet holes between the cracks in the armour. The stench of sea water wasn’t enough to cover up the obvious smell of blood, so it seemed likely the guy didn’t have much left inside.

“Can we keep him?”

Caboose was bouncing on the spot in excitement. Weighing up his options, Church realised that there were two likely outcomes. One, the man dies of his injuries and they have to spend time to bury him or throw him back into the ocean. Two, Caboose kills the man, time is wasted again.

“Fine. Just, be sure to get rid of it when it starts to smell.”

“Yes!!”

* * *

“So he just, dragged a guy back here. From the beach.”

“Yeah, and then put the wet, bloodied guy on my bed, so that’s why were going to trick the Red’s into swapping bases.”

“Look, it took enough effort to move bases when Tex made us all leave Blood Gulch, I don’t think I care to do that again. Stranger things have happened, just clean your sheets when he gets rid of the body.”

“But who knows how long that will be! Caboose might end up just turning him into a puppet!”

Tucker sighed, knowing how stuck in his head Church could get.

“Look, I’ll go see if we need to break out the shovels yet.”

Down below in the base, the sound of Cabooses chatter got to Tucker first. He was retailing one of their escapades, or at least a heavily warped version, to their mystery guest who was surprisingly sitting up, completely mummified in bandages except for one silver eye peering out.

“Geesus, he’s alive?”

“Tucker! Come meet my new friend! New friend, this is Stupid Tucker.”

There was a slight bob of the mans’ head, and a muffled noise as he presumably tried to speak behind the bandages.

“Oh, right. It’s a bit hard to understand him. He said Hello.”

“Right…”

Before he could question how Caboose had managed to save a dying man with only bandages, Tucker’s radio buzzed to life.

_“Tucker-”_

“Sorry man, it’s worse. Looks like you’ll be sharing your bunk from now on.”

_“Shit, not good…”_

“It’s not that bad, guy looks friendly enough-“

_“Not that! Tex is on her way back!”_

“Tex? Already?”

“AH! I totally forgot about the ‘No new friend’ rule!” Caboose grasped the bandaged mans’ shoulders, shaking him feverently. The one visible eyes scrunched shut in probable pain.

“Tex will have all our heads if she finds a stranger in the base. Caboose, hide him. Church, stall!”

_“Wait, did you say something about sharing a bunk?”_

Tucker returned topside in time to see Texas crossing the last hundred metres of open space in front of the base.

“Is it hidden?”

“If he’s not, then we plead ignorance. It was all Cabooses idea anyway.”

Tex glanced up and put her hands on her hips, “Any trouble today boys?”

“No movement aside from the usual Red racket.” Church jerked a thumb towards the Red base, and then immediately regretted it as from the corner of his eye he spotted Caboose dragging the figure into said base.

“WHAt about you? A- all quiet on your end?”

_“Smooth.”_

He elbowed Tucker.

“Same old stuff. We might have to look further out if we want to keep rations up.”

“Ah yeah, right. Uh, speaking of food, want dinner?”

“Sure.” She began to head inside but stopped short.

“Something wrong?”

“Where’s Caboose?”

“Oh you know him, probably… off… talking to fish?”

She shrugged, and the three headed inside for dinner.

* * *

“-And that is why you should never trust whales.”

“That was a wonderful story Caboose. _Now_ will you get the hell out of my room?”

Simmons tapped his foot as Caboose did _not_ move an inch, nor did the mummified man slumped against the wall.

* * *

Caboose was glad that after a few days, Texas still hadn’t found out about his new friend, and that his new friend was feeling better. He could respond more to his stories and move about better on his own.

“And maybe when they see that you haven’t done anything bad all this time, they’ll let you stay foreve-“

Caboose found himself wrapped up and dragged behind a locker door.

“Shhhh.”

“ _Are we playing the quiet game?_ ”

Steady footsteps echoed through the base, methodical and halting every few moments. Cloaked in shadow, the silver eye peered over Cabooses’ shoulder, waiting for the new visitor to pass. After a few minutes, a suit of aqua armour made its way past, pausing to glance around the bunk room. They stayed for the longest time, breaths held beyond what most could, until they finally moved on.

“Your friends are in danger.”

"Yeah, that happens a lot."

* * *

“ _Who the hell is that?!”_

Tucker and Church hid themselves behind the concrete walls that made up the top of the bases’ defences, watching the new intruder move with killing intent. Texas had just returned from her usual patrol and was as equally filled with aggression at the sight, gun firmly in hand.

“Don’t know, but looks like Tex might be acquainted.”

“Agent Texas, I’ve spent a long time looking for you.”

“Agent Carolina, I wish I could say its good to see you.”

“Oh god, another one of those freelancers?”

The two blues watch on as Texas closed the gap between her and the other agent, dodging bullets and laying down her own fire. They danced around each others guns for only seconds, before they were tossed to the side in favour of fists.

“Cat fights are one thing, but this is just scary.” Tucker gripped his own weapon tighter.

Church was glad it seemed Texas had the upper hand, but most of their blows were quite equal. “Shit, we should do something.”

“Like what?! Throw ourselves in there like meat shields?”

“I dunknow, something!”

He almost considered trying to take a shot with his sniper, but down the sights he spotted something startling.

“CABOOSE?!”

“I like to hug!”

The rookie wrapped his arms around Texas in a bearhug, hoisting her just off the ground. Carolina paused in confusion, creating enough of a moment for a gun to be levelled at the back of her head. The black and yellow armour held fairly steady in his threat.

“Let’s stop this fight. Now.”

Church leapt from the base, joining the hold up, with Tucker reluctantly on his tail.

“Alright, start talking bitch. What are you doing here and what the hell is your damage?”

Carolina eyed Church, before twisting to look at the one pointing a gun at her. She let out an amused sound.

“Hello Agent Washington. Two freelancer traitors at once, my lucky day.”

Tucker didn’t raise his gun, “Wait, our mystery man is a freelancer too?”

“Took off after AI implantation, just like the others. They all chose to question the Director rather than follow orders. And that hasn’t worked out for any of them.” Carolina looked between the other two agents, but Texas’ sight seemed to be caught between Washington and Church.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My original plan had been to write just shenanigans of Wash and Church miraculously never meeting while Caboose hid his new friend, because Wash still has Epsilon, who'd flip at the sight of the Alpha.


	3. AU but its an escaped, kinda crazy super solider becoming friends with his robber

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> CONTAINS: Theif!Tucker being a nice guy. My dreams of Tuckington and a deeper plot.
> 
> “This your place? ‘cause I broke in to rob you, but shit man, you aint got nothing. Wait here, ill be right back.”

When Wash gets a place, cash in hand, no questions asked, he’s certainly a special kind of glad. After being on the run, a roof over his head was a great improvement, the running water was just a bonus.

There isn’t much inside. Two milk crates, a sink, the remains of what might have been a coffee table.

Wash dumped his small bag of belongings in one crate, and sat on the other, glad to be off his feet and surrounded by four walls. There’s noise from the pipes, and a low murmur from the neighbours voices, but it’s nothing to set him on edge and almost sends him back to the old bunk rooms.

* * *

Every nerve jumped at the sound of the front doorknob being shifted. He was on his feet and ready for a fight in an instant, tired eyes adjusting to the darkness enough to see the slight movement. Nothing happened at first, until he heard a small ‘ _fuck_ ’ and the sound of something snapping, likely a lock pick.

* * *

“Shit man, you live like this?”

The thief’s shoulder dropped as they looked around the room again. The thread-bare blanket Wash had managed to pickup was folded neatly on a crate, with a chipped mug and bowl on top. There was nothing else he kept in the apartment, the vital things being in his bag which he always kept on him.

“Like, I know the landlady said you didn’t come in with much, so that why I left it a few days, but I totally had you pinned as the ‘up to something’ type.”

“I’m… sorry to disappoint?”

They both stood awkwardly, the tension in Washington’s shoulders only draining slightly at the fact this shorter man was not specifically hunting him.

“Hm. Hey uh, you’re not gonna call the cops are you?”

Wash shook his head, probably as equally uninterested in getting law enforcement involved. The thief grinned.

“Cool. Wait here.”

And with that they left. Alone, and without a working lock on his door, Washington resigned himself to sitting down against the radiator, spending another night on full alert.

It was a few hours later, but the thief did make his return. Wash was on his feet and ready for a fight when he’d heard multiple sets of feet making their way to his door, but without so much as a knock they invited themselves in. The thief had a box of miscellaneous items cradled to their chest, which tinkled as he moved to hold the door open.

“You are still here, good. Hurry it up Caboose!”

A lounge chair was suddenly wedged through the doorway. It moved back and forth to get through the door frame, until the tall man carrying it twisted enough to get both himself and the furniture in.

“And I thought I was flexible.” A larger build woman followed closely behind, side table in hand. She made a bee-line right up to Wash, almost dropping the table on his toes. “Hmm, I guess you weren’t wrong Tucker, but he kinda looks like a cop to me.”

The thief- Tucker?- sat down the box with a laugh.

“When have my judgements been wrong Kai?”

“I could name a few.”

“And I could name a dozen.” And a fourth stranger entered, looking extremely pissed off, camping gear slung over one shoulder and a pillow under his arm.

Wash had yet to move because, well, he was _very confused._ The tall man- Caboose was it?- had finally dropped the chair, showing his wide grin, waving the angry man closer.

Wash finally found his voice again, “Hey.”

Tucker turned, tilting his head.

“What the _fuck_ is going on?”

“Think of it as a… ‘Welcome to the neighbourhood, sorry for trying to rob you’ gift?” Tucker gave a half shrug, “We can get you a bed too, but that might take a few days.”

Wash was frozen, completely dumfounded at the situation. He was used to being lied to, betrayed, shot in the back, forced to hunt and be hunted himself. He was _not_ used to strangers giving housewarming gifts.

He was in every mind to just move, grab his bag and find an even further away location, and the only thing stopping him was money, because there was hardly any of it left. One of the many negatives to a cash upfront place.

* * *

Washington didn’t sleep well that following week. No longer having a lock on his door, plus the fact that the oddly named ‘Blue squad’ had decided they were ‘friends’ and that his apartment was a great place to hang out, he wasn’t sure if he was more stressed than he used to be. From coming home and finding the tan woman Kaikaina sleeping in his new chair(“Your place was closer than mine”), to having the tall man Caboose drawing pictures on his floor (‘Artwork for his home’) to Tucker getting ready for work in his bathroom (“Have you cleaned this place at all?”).


	4. Bathtub Mermaid

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> CONTAINS: Implied ChurchBoose, Merfolk, my dreams for ChurchWashBoose
> 
> Without a job, Church takes to caring for the newest addition to his Fathers eccentric collection, a merman. Caboose immediately falls head over heals for the first human to show him kindness, and after seeing Church mope, wants to try make him happy. He loves to cuddle the human, and depressed Church starts to return the need for touch and affection.

After an awkward falling out with his girlfriend Tex, Church Jr is forced to go to his Father for help. The Director expects him to earn his keep, and puts him in charge of his latest acquisition, a merman.

The fish, who he names Caboose, quickly grows very attached to Church, being the only person since his capture to show him kindness and talk like hes a person and not a subject. Caboose wants to do what he can to make Church happy, especially after seeing him mope about Tex. However some of the other maintenance guys start to notice that Caboose becomes withdrawn and upset when Church isn’t around, and refuses to eat unless Church brings the food.

Church consults Doc, the resident student Vet tech (who happened to be studying both humans and animal health but hadn’t finished either degree) who suggests they move on to stage two of the project. They visit the Directors main tank, which houses an entire clan of merfolk (his research subjects, but Church doesn’t know the extent of that). Doc explains the idea is to take one from the clan, and introduce them to Caboose. Once they're friendly, both will return to the clan, and the removed member will vouch for the new member.

They observe the group, and Doc and Carol(ina) points out some of the residents and who might be good, like one mer, North, is caring and open to new members, but can only be transported with his sister, who is one of the least friendly. York is friendly, but currently only has eyes for Church’s sister Carol. Carol ends up suggesting one of the other new mer’s, Washington, who is liked by the group and could probably tolerate the move.

Later the next day Church oversees Wash and Caboose’s meeting. The later is curious, but sticks by Church, while Wash cautiously keeps an eye on the two. When Chruch leaves for the day Caboose dares to interact with Wash, and finding that he wasn’t a threat (Caboose is bigger despite being younger), quickly latches on.

(Following a path where Church is selfish and bad things happen)

Church starts to realise that Caboose and Wash are getting along really well. Too well. Caboose starts missing his arrivals, and Doc mentions they might be good to return to the clan. It dawns on Church that he doesn’t want Caboose to go. He’d grown used to being the Mers only support, because it meant someone needed him and specifically him. Not wanting to lose Caboose, he plans to sabotage the merfolks relationship, and looks for ways to drive a wedge between them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Then plot gets more convoluted, because now Epsilon comes in too.  
> Alpha(The Church we follow) was the first born son, Carol the first daughter, but Sig, Delta, etc are all Alpha’s younger brothers. A few of the brothers were in charge of the mer clan, but Epsilon became attached to Wash.
> 
> Also, alt. where I’m allowed my OT3. Fuck it, both Caboose and Wash want Church.
> 
> Based on Bathtub mermaid by milli, meaning it was originally meant to have a bitter ending of Caboose giving everything for his love and Church being left all alone


	5. “Bodies decompose slower in their armor, don’t you know?”

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> CONTAINS: Blood, Major character death, mentions of torture, descriptions of gore, downer ending
> 
> In my reverse reading of the archive, I found there were a lot of torture/locked up theories between season 11 and 12. So I indulged... maybe too deeply...

After being attacked at their crash site camp, the captured party find themselves locked away in the enemy base.

Then one day, Wash wakes up in his cell- only to see Aqua armor lying a few feet away.

He approaches, wondering if he’s having a usual nightmare.

There's blood pooled underneath, and various bullet holes in the armor.

He moves from the helmet, morbid curiosity driving him, and finds a familiar face, except- its twisted in the agony Tucker must have felt as he died, his eyes clouded and blood dribbling from his mouth.

Wash can’t move.

Completely lost in his own world, he wasn't even aware that Locus was watching until he taunted him about Tucker's pathetic attempt to fight back.

Left with the body, he eventually has to put the helmet back on, so he doesn’t keep staring into those lifeless eyes.

Days pass, and in the opposite cell another body is deposited.

Sarge and Dount examine it, but the dread had set in long ago.

Simmons is still alive, but the light in his eyes is fading fast, the gore of his torn up insides clear to all as the cybernetics fail to sustain.

The two bodies remain.

Further days pass, and when Wash returns from torture, his cell has been re-arranged.

Tuckers helmet is missing, and he’s been strung from the bars. Right alongside him is the familiar standard blue armor also without a helmet.

He can’t help but scream their names, because he’s failed them as a leader. Failed to keep them safe.

Sarge and Donut are quiet, but similarly Simmons has been strung up.

When Locus next visits he’s got Felix with him, who shouts “Think fast!” and tosses something at Sarge, who turns over the orange helmet with new dawning horror.

“No one wanted to drag the dead weight back here, so we had to make it easier to move.”

Blood drips as he turns it the right way around, and the smashed in visor shows Grifs eyes, or what remained of them.

Sarge cradles the helmet to his chest.

* * *

Weeks later, Carolina and Church are on the trail as they should have been ages ago.

The cells reek of blood and death.

In one cell she finds the source, Wash surrounded by the bodies of the Reds and Blues.


	6. Partners AU

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> CONTAINS: Descriptions of emaciation. Epsilon possessed Wash. MaineWash if you want it to be
> 
> The Meta finds the discards of Project Freelancer in an old bunker, however Maine ends up leaving with a partner by his side.

The Meta pushed the door aside with sheer strength, the metal groaning under his hands. He’d been tearing through several locations Sigma had found to be related to Project Freelancer, storage facilities and past contacts. So far none had gotten them closer to their goal, but Sigma was adamant this was the place. An old bunker, designed to hold a few men for a few months, but so far only one, long dead body had been found.

Now deeper inside, the space opened up into the ‘living space’, kitchen, storage, bunk rooms. Sigma pointed him down the hall, but even he could sense what they were here for.

There was an AI fragment here. The others were calling for it.

They stalked through the darkness with heavy steps, and in the furthest bunk room, they found their target.

“Hello Epsilon.”

The body slumped on the floor didn’t move, but a glow lit up around it.

“…Sigma?”

The firey avatar lit up on the Meta’s shoulder.

“You do remember me. It’s been a long time.”

In the darkness of the room, Epsilon’s light was instantly overwhelmed by Sigma’s intensity, the other fragments calling out from beyond it.

“We’re looking for the Alpha, want to come along?”

“The Alpha?”

Quiet mutterings overtook Epsilon, but it was never really a question. The Meta stepped up, reaching out for the little chip in the back of the Freelancers neck. As he came past his head, a hand shot out to grip his wrist, strong in its hold despite appearing bony.

“Don’t-”

The single word came from a mouth. The blue light continued.

“If you pull that, I’m not sure what you’d get in it.”

With a bit of struggle, the thin and dirty body began to lift itself off the floor, still holding the Meta’s wrist for support. Behind the long blond hair, rough beard and countless scars, a pair of glassy eyes looked up into the helmet. His mouth fell open as two voices spoke.

“We… would like to see the Alpha.”

“…Very well Epsilon, Agent Washington.”

* * *

With three AI in his head, Maine was getting used to letting them decide on things while he just carried them about. It was rare for him to be left with his own thoughts, but as Sigma came up with their next action, he had time to think about the last time he’d seen Agent Washington.

It must have been just before his implantation, when he’d waved and half-heartedly joked about becoming ‘one of the cool kids with AI’. After that they’d been told he was dismissed from the program after complications from surgery. 

Dismissed, in the Directors dictionary, had apparently meant locked away to rot. There wasn’t much left of the Freelancer, his body thin from living off ration scraps for months, eyes sunken and glassy as it seemed Epsilon held the reigns.

Except for when Maine took his helmet off, and he felt the brush of a hand at his elbow. Suddenly those eyes had focus, staring right at him.

“Maine… It’s good to see you.”

There was a weak smile, and Maine knew that Sigma wouldn’t care for the ex-agents health. If they were going to work together, he’d have to take responsibility for the care of Epsilon’s host. Which was easier said than done given their situation.

Sigma believed Epsilon when he said that improper removal would render him most likely useless. The implant site was scared over with both self-inflicted scratches and electrical burns, not to mention the sheer mental fusion that seemed to have occurred. He agreed to join, but only once they found the Alpha, and with Sigma wanting to find the other fragments along the way the journey was bound to be long.

They were permitted a day’s rest in the old base, where water was still running and there were still a few MREs locked away, giving Maine just under 24hrs to prepare his new partner.

He broke up the wooden furniture and tore up some fabric scraps to start a fire, providing warmth and light in the old bunker. He shoved some food and a fork into Washington’s hands, forcing him to sit down a reasonable distance from the fire, before sitting next to him. He dug into his own food while he also watched his companion carefully. It took a few minutes for Wash to finally begin to complete the motions of scooping up food, shaking hands ferrying it to his mouth. A portion of it didn’t make it in, falling into his beard.

Maine reached over and brushed it away. He finished eating his own food and stood up, moving to check on their equipment. There was a locked storage room that opened up with a precise hit from the brute shots blade, and inside was what remained of the outpost’s weapons and armor. While the under suit Washington had been left in had adapted to his frame, any individual pieces of armor would probably be ill-fitting.

When he returned to the fire, Wash looked to be frozen in place, fork hanging in the air mid motion. Not even half of the MRE was eaten. Maine carefully removed the food from his hand and sat it beside them. Sitting next to the man, he pushed his frozen hands into a resting position, then pulled at his hair. It was long enough to hang in front of Wash’s eyes. It would be best to get rid of it, but the brute shot wouldn't be suitable for shaving, so for now he used some string to tie his hair back.

* * *

(...)

They rest for the night and oh no he’s clingy.

As they travel Eta fills his head with fears of Epsilon running away, of Washington killing them in their sleep. Iota fills the rest of the space with elation at having another fragment with them, with the shared joy of having a friend by his side. When he’s in hunt mode, Sigma, Eta and Iota handle his peripherals. They monitor his motion trackers, watch his ammo reserves, tell him when to push forward and when to pull back. 

They hunt North, who is overly concerned with protecting Theta, so much that South leaves him when the Meta closes in. Epsilon watches impassively, and South stumbles upon them. Shes startled to see him, but decides to move on. Wash calls out to her, confused she isn’t helping her brother. When she says ‘fuck that’ he snaps and takes her on himself.

Now both the siblings are dead and both AI possessed have blood on their hands, which kinda shocks Maine.

They tune into Yorks recovery beacon, and learn from Delta about the remaining fragments. They go after Wyoming, and then Texas, leading them to a little box canyon full of simulation troopers...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is just my heart weak at the caring Maine trope. He realises Sigma only wants Epsilon, so he has to take on Wash’s care, which is hard when the both of them are being driven by rampant AI fragments. But he damn tries when his head is clear, trying to keep him clean and fed, and in turn as he starts to improve Wash does his best to help Maine


End file.
